South African news today: Your headlines in five minutes for Thursday 11 October

The government wants to create more competition to force 95-Unleaded petrol prices to decrease.

These are the top stories that will make headlines in South African news today. The government, in a bid to see more people use more of 93-Octane petrol, will consider removing the recommended retail price on the fuel.

Also, we look at what to expect from day two of the South African Social Security Agency (SASS) nationwide strike.

South African news today: Thursday 11 October

Govermnent may remove retail price on 93-Octane petrol

It was revealed by eNCA on Tuesday evening that the government was considering a move to remove the retail price on 93-Octane petrol in a bid to see more people use it.

According to the Department of Energy, the use of 95-Unleaded petrol is too much and it is unnecessary. The department believes that if more motorists used 93-Octane petrol, it would create direct competition with 95-Unleaded fuel, driving the price to go down.

The Fuel Retailers Association (FRA) has been given this plan by the government for comment. However, the organisation has not given its feedback on the proposal as yet, citing that internal discussions are underway.

The FRA has until Wednesday, 18 October to submit a response to the plan.

SASSA strike continues into day two

On Tuesday, thousands of SASSA employees took to the streets in a nationwide strike that saw many of the social grants branches without service for the day.

It does not seem like their efforts have produced a worthy response from the top brass of the social grants agency. Therefore, it is expected that the workers will be downing tools on Thursday as well.

Employees are demanding the removal of the new biometric system that the social grants agency relies on now in processing new beneficiaries. They claim that they were never trained to use the system and it is just not working for them.

State capture inquiry: Barbara Hogan delays Zondo’s commission

The country was gearing up to learn more about the on-goings of the corruption that plagued our government during former president Jacob Zuma’s tenure as president.

However, since former Minister of Public Enterprises, Barbara Hogan, submitted her final statement late, the legal team of the commission of inquiry into state capture, felt that it needed more time to divulge the details laid bare in Hogan’s statement.

Deputy Chief Justice, Raymond Zondo concurred and postponed the inquiry to 12 November. Opposition parties and civil organisations have urged Zondo’s commission to not treat this like just any other inquiry.

Zondo made it clear that the final findings of the inquiry would be seen as credible and the law would then be allowed to take its course.

Rand to dollar: Greenback still holds firm after Mboweni wave

The South African rand opened up on Thursday at R14.75. That is a slight dip from how it kicked things off on Wednesday, coming in at R14.56. The increase was coming through, since at 9:23, it had shot up to R14.61.

The appointment of former South African Reserve Bank governor, Tito Mboweni, as the head of the National Treasury brought some assurance into a volatile market for the rand.

The news of the government’s outlook into removing the retail price on 93-Octane petrol may be seen as a good move by investors. As reported by Fin24, the rand is expected to make headway on Thursday and play between R14.40 and R14.70.

Baxter does not want Bafana Bafana to downplay the Seychelles challenge

It is a matter of days now before the South African national football team, Bafana Bafana, host Seychelles in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier on Saturday.

South African have to win this weekend and again on Tuesday when they visit Seychelles for their reverse fixxture in order to all but seal their place in Cameroon in June 2019.

“Nerves, anxiety, complacency, things like that affect the intensity. if we play with the intensity we’re showing now, and the quality of the structure, then we will pick our way through, but it takes time.” Baxter stated.

IOL News reported that Sibusiso Vilakazi from Mamelodi Sundowns suffered a horrific injury that will see him out for months. This has given Cape Town City’s Gift Links the opportunity to shine on Africa’s biggest stage.